Concealed Zipper Assembly

ABSTRACT

A concealed zipper assembly and a method of binding a first material to a second material with the concealed zipper assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This U.S. National Stage Patent Application claims the benefit of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2011/026432 filed on Feb. 28, 2011, entitled “Concealed Zipper Assembly,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/309,012 filed Mar. 1, 2010, the entire disclosures of these applications being considered part of the disclosure of this application and hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a concealed zipper assembly and a method of binding a first material to a second material with a zipper assembly.

In assembling various upholstered products, the outer surface materials are commonly stitched together which is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the outer surface coverings that are stitched together are difficult to easily remove for cleaning or repairs and then even more difficult to easily replace. While some upholstered products have used zippers in the assembly of the outer surface materials, care must be taken to hide the aesthetic effect of the zipper. Current zippers have a crown on the slider to which a pull tab is pivotably coupled. Due to the configuration required by the crown for the pull tab to be pivotable, the crown and pull tab stand significantly proud of the upper surface of the slider body. Therefore, the very benefit of the crown on the slider making the pull tab easily accessible for a user and pivotable for easy operation creates in some instances an unappealing aesthetic impression. While some manufactures try to hide the end location of the zipper in an area not seen by the user of the upholstered product, this is not always possible. Other manufacturers sometimes sew a zipper pocket of the same outer surface material over the ending location of the slider body to hide the above-mentioned unaesthetic impression, but this extra material is also undesirable. Other manufacturers have also attempted to shrink the size of the zipper slider body and teeth, however this may not be possible due to the specifications required by a particular application.

In view of the above issues with zippers, it is desirable to have a zipper for upholstered products which is unobtrusive and hidden from view, no matter where the location of the slider body is on the outer surface covering of the upholstered products.

SUMMARY

The present invention generally relates to a low profile zipper assembly, specifically a low profile slider body having a base plate with a plate upper surface and a front edge. A tongue has an upper surface substantially aligned with the plate upper surface. The tongue extends from the baseplate past the front edge. The zipper body further includes a pair of guide channels configured to receive teeth of a zipper. The tongue includes an aperture, the axis of which is approximately perpendicular to the plate upper surface. The base plate includes a front edge, a back edge and sides extending between the front edge and the back edge and wherein the sides open outwardly from the back edge to the front edge. The zipper has an operational axis, with the tongue being approximately aligned along the operational axis, and the axis of the aperture being approximately perpendicular to the operational axis.

The tongue includes a first portion arranged over the base plate and a second portion extending beyond the front edge and wherein the front edge approximately divides the first and second portions and wherein the aperture is located in the second portion. The tongue is substantially fixed from movement relative to the base plate and more specifically, the tongue is not hinged relative to the base plate. The plate upper surface of the zipper slider body does not include a crown.

The present invention also relates to a method of operating a zipper assembly or more specifically a method of joining two materials having edges with teeth while maintaining concealment of a slider body zipper throughout its operational range. The method generally includes the steps of providing a first material including a set of teeth; providing a second material including a set of teeth; providing a slider body slidably engaging the sets of teeth of the first and second materials and having an extended tongue approximately aligned with the teeth and in the slider body defining an aperture; providing a tool having a hook portion; and engaging the hook portion of the tool in the aperture; and applying a force to the tool in a first direction to interconnect the teeth of the first material with the teeth of the second material. The method may also include the step of applying a force to the tool in a second direction to disengage the teeth of the first and second material and wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the zipper assembly including an exemplary tool for applying force to the zipper body;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the zipper assembly including a tool engaged in the aperture of the slidable body;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the zipper assembly;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the slider body;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the zipper slider body with a tool engaged in the aperture;

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the slider body;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the bottom side perspective view of the slider body;

FIG. 8 illustrates a tool being inserted into the aperture on the slider body;

FIG. 9 illustrates the tool applying force to close the two materials; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to the figures and in particular to FIG. 1, a zipper assembly 20 for joining a first material 22 to a second material 24 is shown. Each of the first and second materials 22, 24 includes a tape 26 extending along at least one edge 28 and defining a set of teeth 30. The zipper assembly 20 further includes a slider body 32 slidably engaging the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 for interconnecting the teeth 30 of the first material 22 with the teeth 30 of the second material 24 when the slider body 32 is moved in a first direction and for disengaging the teeth 30 of the first material 22 from the teeth 30 of the second material 24 when the slider body 32 is moved in a second direction opposite of the first direction. The slider body 32 defines an aperture 34 for receiving a tool 36 to move the slider body 32 in the first and second directions. While the zipper assembly 20 shown in the Figures is joining two materials 22, 24 for an automotive seat, it should be understood that the invention may be used in many other seating and non-seating applications.

The tool 36 of the exemplary embodiment includes an elongated shaft 38 defining a bend to form a hook portion 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 is engaging the aperture 34 of the slider body 32 for pulling the slider body 32 in the first direction to interconnect the teeth 30 of the first material 22 with the teeth 30 of the second material 24. The tool 36 may also be used to pull the slider body 32 in the second direction for disengaging the teeth 30 of the first material 22 from the teeth 30 of the second material 24. It should be understood that the tool 36 may take many shapes other than those shown in the Figures for engaging the slider body 32 to pull the slider body 32 in the first and second directions.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view the underside of the zipper assembly 20 with the tool 36 extending through the aperture 34 of the slider body 32. The slider body 32 includes a base plate 42 having an upper surface 44, a lower surface 46, a front edge 48, a back edge 50, and opposite side edges 52. The front edge 48 of the base plate 42 is wider than the back edge 50 of the base plate 42. A pair of opposing flanges 54 extend perpendicularly upwardly from the upper surface 44 along the opposite side edges 52 of the base plate 42 to define a guide channel 56 therebetween. The opposing flanges 54 are bent inwardly toward one another to define lip portions 58 in spaced and parallel relationship with the base plate 42. The teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 are disposed in the guide channel 56 between the upper surface 44 of the base plate 42 and the lip portions 58. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 in the first direction from the slider body 32 are disengaged from one another, and the teeth 30 in the second direction from the slider body 32 are interconnected with one another.

The slider body 32 further includes a tongue 60 disposed on the lower surface 46 of the base plate 42 and extending outwardly from the front edge 48 of the base plate 42 in the first direction. The tongue 60 is integrally connected to the slider body 32 and presents the aperture 34 for receiving the hook portion 40 of the tool 36. As best shown in FIG. 3, the aperture 34 of the slider body 32 for engaging the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 is spaced from the front edge 48 of the base plate 42 in the first direction. It should be appreciated that the tongue 60 of the slider body 32 may take many forms for engaging the tool 36.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the tool 36 disposed adjacent to the slider body 32 of the zipper assembly 20. The exemplary embodiment of the tool 36 includes a handle 62 spaced from the hook portion 40 for pulling the slider body 32. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 extending through the aperture 34 of the slider body 32.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the tool 36 disposed adjacent to the slider body 32 of the zipper assembly 20. A guide post 64 is disposed in the guide channel 56 between the opposing flanges 54 of the slider body 32. The guide post 64 and the guide channel 56 of the slider body 32 guide the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 into an interlocking relationship when the slider body 32 is moved along the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 in the first direction. The guide post 64 also functions to disengage the teeth 30 of the first material from the teeth 30 of the second material 24 when the slider body 32 is moved along the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 in the second direction. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the slider body 32 with the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 extending through the aperture 34 of the slider body 32.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 disposed adjacent to the aperture 34 of the slider body 32. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the hook portion 40 of the tool 32 extending through the aperture 34 of the slider body 32. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 in the first direction of the slider body 32 are disengaged from one another, and the first and second materials 22, 24 are bound to one another in the second direction from the slider body 32.

With reference to FIG. 10, the invention further includes a method of binding a first material 22 to a second material 24. The method begins with the steps of providing a first material 22 including a set of teeth 30 and providing a second material 24 including a set of teeth 30. The method continues with the step of providing a slider body 32 slidably engaging the teeth 30 of the first and second materials 22, 24 and defining an aperture 34 spaced in a first direction from a base plate 42. The method proceeds with the step of providing a tool 36 defining a hook portion 40. The method continues with the step of engaging the hook portion 40 of the tool 36 to the aperture 34 of the slider body 32. The method continues with the step of pulling the tool 36 engaging the slider body 32 in a first direction to interconnect the teeth 30 of the first material 22 with the teeth 30 of the second material 24. Optionally, the method continues with the step of pulling the tool 36 in a second direction to disengage the teeth 30 of the first material 22 from the teeth 30 of the second material 24.

In summary, the invention is for a concealed zipper assembly 20 for use with automotive seats including a slider body 32 having a base plate 42 and an aperture 34 spaced in a first direction from the base plate 42. A tool 36 is provided to engage the aperture 34 of the slider body 32 to pull the slider body in the first direction or an opposite second direction. In other words, the attachment point for a typical slider body 32 has been moved in a first direction from the base plate 42 of the slider body 32, and a tool 36 having a hook portion 40 is used to pull the slider body 32 in the first direction.

The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention. 

1. A low profile zipper body comprising: a base plate having a plate upper surface and a front edge; a tongue having an upper surface substantially aligned with said plate upper surface and wherein said tongue extends from said baseplate and past said front edge; and a pair of guide channels configured to receive teeth of a zipper.
 2. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said tongue includes an aperture.
 3. The low profile zipper body of claim 2 wherein said aperture is approximately perpendicular to said plate upper surface.
 4. The low profile zipper body of claim 3 wherein said base plate includes a front edge a back edge and sides extending between said front edge and said back edge and wherein said sides open outwardly from said back edge to said front edge.
 5. The low profile zipper body of claim 4 wherein said zipper has an operational axis and wherein said tongue is approximately aligned along said operational axis.
 6. The low profile zipper body of claim 5 wherein said aperture is approximately centered about said operational axis.
 7. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said tongue includes a first portion extending over said base plate and a second portion extending beyond said front edge and wherein said front edge approximately divides said first and second portions and wherein said aperture is located in said second portion.
 8. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said tongue is substantially fixed from movement relative to said base plate.
 9. The low profile zipper body of claim 8 wherein said tongue is not hinged relative to said base plate.
 10. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes a recess and wherein a portion of said tongue is set within said recess.
 11. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said tongue includes an aperture located proximate to a front edge of said zipper body.
 12. The low profile zipper body of claim 11 wherein said aperture is configured to receive a removable hook.
 13. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said upper surface of said tongue and said plate upper surface are both planer and each of said planes approximately form a single plane.
 14. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said plate upper surface does not include a crown.
 15. The low profile zipper body of claim 1 wherein said tongue is not attached to a crown.
 16. A method of concealing a zipper assembly comprising: providing a first material including a set of teeth; providing a second material including a set of teeth; providing a slider body slidably engaging the sets of teeth of said first and second materials and having an extended tongue approximately aligned with said teeth and defining an aperture; providing a tool having a hook portion; engaging the hook portion of the tool in the aperture; and applying a force to the tool in a first direction to interconnect the teeth of the first material with the teeth of the second material.
 17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of applying a force to the tool in a second direction to disengage the teeth of the first and second material and wherein said first direction is opposite said second direction. 